GGTR – a little intro pt 1
GGTR – a little intro pt 1
I heard that chivalry is dead, and well it probably is. But, GGTR aka Gentlemen’s Guide to Racing, is very much alive. The GGTR team are bon-vivants to the umpth degree, giving their heart and soul to the process, yet managing to keep an illustrious magnetism (or maybe thats just their wafting pheromones of fine whiskey and motor oil.)
Here are some shots taken by the team during the MINT 400.
March 2013
Las Vegas
iKAPTURE, making photography dangerous
Meet Greg Smith, aka iKAPTURE
Like most Aussies, he is out of his mind. The berm-hunkering shooter/rider hailing from the Gold Coast, has dominated OZ for 10 years with his bike photos, gracing endless covers of magazines and team shoots. As a kid he got the shutter-bug from his grandmother. When he was allowed to hold the camera is when he started shooting, same went for the bikes. But as soon as he got the ok from his sweet over-protective mum, it was officially on.
Below is a little Q and A with iKapture about his risky business …
Q: Do you wear protective gear when you shoot from those less than safe angles?
iKapture: I don’t find that protective gear would help when shooting off-road bikes but it is a good idea to wear protective gear from the elements, sunscreen, hat, long shirt and pants etc.. I have been hit by a motorcycle at full pace on the outside of the first turn. It gave me a couple of bruises and a nasty concussion but other than that and the $4K repair bill to the body of the camera I was fine (the next day). Mind you I know how the sport works and what to expect, I was pushing it that day and I guess it bit me.
Q: What are you most known for with regards to your photography?
iKapture: Three things really.
1/The way I light motorcycle images.
2/Being in tune with the rider and predicting what can or can’t be done to make a shot spectacular.
3/Being able to ride as well as shoot, having the ability to keep a good pace while carrying 20+kg of gear on my back while scouting for shot locations.
All images by: iKapture aka Greg Smith http://ikapture.photoshelter.com/
Dimitri Coste SX pt 1
DIMITRI COSTE SUPERCROSS PT 1
My buddy Dimitri Coste is awesome. First of all is a avid rider and racer of BMX and motorized 2 wheeled machines. He is also the only photographer to have his own shoe and moto boot colabs. More on those later, but for now, I recently asked him to take some pictures at Supercross for me. Dimitri started going to Supercross since 2000 for ONE Industries. But in 201o when Marc Blanchard sold ONE, Dimitri began shooting for Shift Racing.
Wheels of Steel
Bike, Roland Sands and Andy Bell for Technics
Model, Rania Marcella
Photo, Stefani Pappas
Jacket, Schott
Jeans, Girbaud
Early Halloween a la David Aldana
David Aldana is a legend. On the dirt and the pavement, he is one of the true original American bad-ass racers.
At age 63, he still races. In the past he has won 4 AMA titles, as well as a grueling endurance win at Suzuka (which is one the world’s most challenging tracks). He was also in On Any Sunday, one of the most import moto movies ever! But what is Dave best known for?
His skeleton suit.
I spoke with Dave and the story of his damn suit.
It all started in 1973/4 when he didn’t have a sponsor for the next season. There were new rules in place requiring racers who wore all black suits to have different colored patches.
“This was so when you crashed they could find you in the dark” he told me. “They made me put white patches on my suit.” (Dave’s known to be a bit of a crasher.)
So what did Dave do? He watched TV! Well, not really, but he happened to be watching TV (The Little Rascals) when he came up with his plan that would never leave him unnoticed and without a sponsor again.
The below video inspired him.
“I went to the store and bought one of those skeletons and brought it in a brown paper bag to Base Leathers.”
When asked what he wanted on his black leather suit, Dave revealed his bag of bones.
In the pre season, he wore “automotive coveralls” to keep his new suit under wraps, only showing it to pal Kenny Roberts who “nearly fell off his bike laughing.”
Dave revealed his suit to the rest of the world at the season opener and later that night he also T-boned a follow rider during the last heat in turn 3. This was the real reason that Dave received a stern talking to and short suspension, not for the suit as rumor had it. But Dave never quelled those rumors.
A few years ago Dave looked in the mirror while wearing the suit and thought to himself, ”It’s ridiculous, but thats what they (fans) want.”
Dave loves racing and still gets in as many as he can. With thanks to his current sponsors including Pilot Leathers, Alpine Stars, Arai Helmets and Works Performance Shocks , he wins most of them. A bad-ass for life.
model Kat Hessen
image by Cameron Smith
suit by Pilot Leathers
